Vertiginous Path of Repentance
by Apples And Fables
Summary: Set after 'The Doctor'. Emma and Snow are lost in FTL after the incident with the Wraith. Regina is asked to rescue them by Charming. But what was supposed to be a simple rescue mission turns out to be much more than that. A new Monarch threatens to destroy the entire realm, and Regina finds herself with an enormous burden on her shoulders. Eventual but slow burning SQ. First Fic.
1. Prologue

**Summary:** Set after 'The Doctor'. Emma and Snow are lost in FTL. Charming finds himself with no choice other than asking Regina to go there and bring them back. Eventual Swan Queen. This is my first fic.

**Author's Note:** Since this is my first fic, I would appreciate if you reviewed it. Reviews = Love ;)

* * *

**VERTIGINOUS PATH OF REPENTANCE**

By Apples and Fables

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

The agony still remained. Even in her dark and cold room where she had been hiding from everybody else for the last couple of days. Even after all those years, it still hurt to see Daniel leave her.

Although, this time Regina Mills knew he could and would never be brought back from the dead. Hope was lost, or better yet, the last bit of hope she had had throughout 28 long years trapped into that wretched hellhole of a city which everyone called 'Storybrooke' was lost.

The curse, the only remaining symbol of her power, was broken by a meddling kid who had come to _her_ town to steal _her_ son away from her. Then, as if it wasn't enough, painful memories from the brunette's long and forgotten past had returned to haunt her once again.

Dr. Frankenstein, aka Dr. Whale, seemed to have accomplished something Regina had desired long ago. She wanted Daniel to be revived more than anything she had craved before, even power. It was, after all, the only shot she still had to have her so desired happy ending. And yet, her desperate wishes also went down the drain. Daniel had awoken to become a monster, a brutal monster that almost killed her, that didn't recognize her at all. The former Mayor was left no choice other than releasing the hold she had on him, the spell that kept his body and his physical existence near her.

The pain she still felt in her chest was incomparable to anything she had ever felt before. The realization that she wouldn't be happy for the rest of her life was devastating and painful. Her life didn't make any sense whatsoever. She had no reason to live anymore.

Only then did the brunette realize she was shivering and drenched in cold sweat. She looked around and felt the same as always. Lonely. Everyone she had ever cared about had abandoned her.

Regina was aware that she was partially, if not totally responsible, for her loneliness. Where there was once love, hate had taken over and had blinded her into making decisions she shouldn't have made. Pushing Snow away was a necessary call and she didn't regret it. She welcomed revenge, and craved it even. But killing her own father, well… That was something else. She had managed to curse everyone thanks to his heart, and yet that plan had also failed. The curse was broken and her father was dead. There was now neither a father to support her nor the curse to accomplish her revenge. Regina's efforts seemed to be unavailing.

A new wave of emotions trailed through the former Mayor's features. Tears were prickling behind her long dark lashes. Few were the occasions where the brunette left the persona she had created in order to defend herself from other people. She had built a façade that defined her as a cold and stone-hearted person. This was one of those moments in which she felt weak and broken, her true-self. As tears came streaming down her face, Regina told herself that it was the last time she would ever cry regarding her past misdeeds.

Light was slowly making its way into the mayoral mansion. Not that Regina had had any sleep for the last few days. She sluggishly pushed the covers of her mayoral bed away from her and got out of bed. As an established routine, curtains were flung open so that Regina could see what was happening in Storybrooke. Dawn was breaking, and it would be a lovely sight if she was in the mood to watch it.

As she got out of bed, the brunette felt the chilly air on her bare thighs, which were left exposed by her short silk nightgown. She made way towards her luxurious bathroom trying to build once more her mask, her emotionless façade. Regina reached for the basin, ran some water in it and splashed her face. She observed her reflection in the mirror. Her skin was pale and dark circles surrounded her eyes. She desperately needed to sleep. Problem was, she couldn't trust herself to do so.

A rumble sound broke the silence of the almost empty mansion. Regina's stomach was complaining against the mistreatment it had been suffering for the last few days. The former Mayor placed her hand gently on her belly and decided to get something to eat.

Having dressed one of her most mayoral power suits, Regina descended the staircase ever so calmly that one couldn't even imagine the turmoil and disarray inside her.

A cup of coffee and a French toast was in order.

* * *

Ever since the curse had been broken, Prince Charming – aka David Nolan – felt conflicted. He wasn't sure who he was anymore, or everyone else for that matter. And on top of that, he now had the destiny of Storybook's townsfolk oh his own hands.

Certainly not an easy task, but the Prince would manage it, he always did. He had to if he wanted to rescue his family. Seeing that Snow and Emma were now lost somewhere in the middle of FairytaleLand, there was no other choice. He had to hold the fort, contrarily to what his heart wanted. Charming wanted his family back. The only comfort he had left was knowing that his grandson, Henry, was closer to him than ever.

And yet, the boy wasn't any happier than him. Emma Swan, the mother he had learned to love so quickly was gone, as well as his grandmother, Snow White - aka Mary Margaret Blanchard. Henry didn't talk much about it with anyone, not even with him. If it were possible one would say the boy was becoming even more of a lonely and introverted child, always reading that fairy-tale book of his.

Sometimes the Prince even wondered if the boy was trying to find a solution to their problem all by himself. Which David learned was true, as the boy sat once again eating breakfast with his usual depressed mood. After a few attempts at cheering Henry up, he realized he had to do something about this whole situation.

"Henry… Buddy…" Uttered Charming cautiously, waiting for a positive response that never came.

"Listen, I've had enough waiting. We have to bring Snow and Emma back." He continued, suddenly winning the boy's attention. Charming could see a little glint in his eyes, a resemblance of both his and his daughter's.

"Really? What can we do? Where do we start?" The boy asked his grandfather quite excitedly, spilling his cereals all over the counter as he gestured with his hands.

"WE are not doing anything." He empathized his point with a firm and resolute tone. "I don't want you to be in danger… And besides, you have to clean that mess." David whined, winning a glare from his grandson.

"So, what now? We can't just leave Emma and Snow there all by themselves!" The boy insisted one more time.

"We must find someone who's able to help us… Any suggestions?" David asked, seemingly deep in thought, but coming up short of ideas.

"I can only think of two people. But you're not gonna like it." The boy said hesitantly, not knowing whether he should speak or not.

Despite having known his daughter and grandson only for a short period time, Prince Charming felt like he had known them his entire existence. And so there was no need for words between him and his grandson that morning. Charming nodded and a wide smile surfaced his features.

"Fret not my child!" The playful side of David emerged for the first time in days.

"C'mon Henry, get your coat. We're going to pay a visit to your mom." He uttered, assuming an heroic stance, reaching for his jacket.

In less than one minute, they were out the door.

* * *

She had always cooked relatively well. One could say it was one of her best qualities, apart from magic, if you dare consider magic to be a quality. Regina Mills did no such thing. Magic had always been a mean to get what she wanted. But now, all had changed. She didn't use magic anymore, or so she told herself.

The French toast the former Mayor had just cooked was marvelous, considering she hadn't eaten for quite some days. Or perhaps it had turned out even better that what she had planned with the help of a little magic. She couldn't be sure. However, she was still aware of her state of starvation.

Another three delicious French toasts followed, much to the disagreement of the brunette's rational thought. A part of her felt like she was nineteen again but Regina knew rather well she would never be same. Not after what she had went through.

Fingers drumming the table's flat and smooth surface, the brunette's mind went once more through the events of the last few days. Seeing that she could go mad if she continued to think about them, Regina decided to shove those thoughts away and drink something with alcohol to numb the pain.

She stood up abruptly only to hear the doorbell ring. Who dared disturb her so early? Her eyebrows shot up as she frowned. Swiftly and steadily, Regina almost ran to the door and yanked it open only to find a very familiar figure standing there with a half smile gracing his lips.

"Hello David. How may I help you?" The brunette started with a smirk forming.

"Regina. We need to talk. I brought Henry with me." Charming warned her, making sure the former Mayor didn't pull something on him.

As if right on cue, Henry popped up behind his grandfather and gave his mother those puppy dog eyes that Regina knew very well. Despite knowing the boy was trying to persuade her, Regina couldn't say no. She couldn't refuse the rare occasions where her son wanted to be with her, even if it were to get something from her.

The former Mayor let out a tiny almost invisible smile and gestured so that they could come in. As soon as they had entered her mansion, Regina slammed the door shut and turned around to face those two beings inside her hall.

"Alright then, I'm listening. What do you want to talk about?" She inquired, feeling some sort of thrill wandering through her body for the first time in days.

And so Regina watched as her son's face lit up with hope, a grin forming in his features. "We just need help, mom." He enthused, leaving the brunette speechless and wondering why he was so worked up.

"We need you to get them back."

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**A/N:** Please don't forget to review folks! :)


	2. A Deal With The Devil

**Summary:** Will Regina agree to fulfill her son's request? To what cost?

**Author's Note:** Thanks to some very positive reviews of the first chapter, I decided to continue this story. I hope you guys stick with me through this bumpy ride. :)

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**Chapter 2: A Deal With The Devil**

Regina Mills had expected everything from her son. Everything but this. How on earth could she possibly help her sworn enemies? They were, after all, the damned woman who had stolen Henry's affections away from her and 'the traitor'. The one who had sold out Regina and Daniel to Cora, who ended up killing him at the first chance she got.

And yet, as if she was observing the scene from afar, the brunette watched as her lips built up in a little smile. Afterwards, she nodded slightly.

"Of course, Henry, I'll do what I can. I've already said I wanted to redeem myself. I'll do whatever it takes for you to believe me." The brunette uttered, with a strange softness in her voice. She smiled softly once more and tilted her head slowly to the right.

_What the hell am I agreeing to do? _Thought the former Mayor quite conflicted, unable to clearly pinpoint the reason why she was helping Emma Swan and Snow White, of all people. Regina convinced herself that she was doing it for Henry alone and never for them.

The gods must have been crazy, or at least, they must have had quite an accurate sense of humor that day.

The boy's face lit up. As much as he would hate to admit it, perhaps his mom wasn't as evil as he thought she was. Henry grinned towards his mother. At least, there was still hope in Storybrooke.

* * *

Prince James observed curiously the interaction unfolding right in front of him. He didn't believe Regina was capable of loving until very recently. Firstly, he had recognized it when she had talked with Daniel in the stables a few days ago. And now, he could definitely see it when the Mayor talked to Henry. Something had changed about her. She was not the same Evil Queen that had cast the curse 28 years ago. Alas, nothing could ever erase the misdeeds she had done in the past. Atonement wasn't quite that simple, sacrifices must be made so that one can redeem himself.

He would allow Regina to go to Fairytale Land to retrieve Emma and Snow. This was her chance to prove everyone wrong, to prove she had not reverted to her wicked ways. Surely, the amount of trust he was about to place on her was enormous, but it was the only way to see his family once again.

Charming watched as Regina smiled and offered them both a drink. None of them rejected the offer so they were instantly lead towards the living room. Regina left the room and returned shortly with two coffee mugs and one hot cocoa with whipped cream and cinnamon on top.

"Here you are. I hope you enjoy your cocoa, Henry. It's your favorite." The woman announced delighted with Henry's expression of pure joy.

"Xanks… Muh… You'r.. da… Besh!" He stammered while trying to drink the cocoa and talk at the same time.

Having drunk his entire coffee in just a few mouthful swigs, Prince James cleared his throat and interrupted the affectionate moment between mother and son. He was aware he was being rather rude but time was of the essence. Charming could not afford to waste any more time. For all he knew Emma and Snow could already be dead in Fairytale Land.

"Henry, why don't you go to your room for a bit? I need to talk with your mother." He clarified his interruption, speaking towards his grandson but looking into Regina's eyes.

The boy hesitantly looked towards Regina as if he was asking for permission. Regina followed the man's cue and smiled towards her son.

"Go ahead Henry; I'm sure you must miss your old room." She said, with a hint of sadness in her voice, right before sipping her black and sugarless coffee.

The boy eagerly jumped off the couch he was sitting on and darted towards his room, the very same one in which he had lived in just until a few days ago.

* * *

At last, Prince James and Regina could discuss this matter more seriously. The former Mayor sat on the couch, in the exact same spot where her son had just been sitting a few moments ago and crossed her legs. Looking upwards, directly towards the man standing in her living room, the brunette smirked.

"Now… James, how on earth do you expect me to accomplish such feat? Pray tell me, how am I even supposed to reach Fairytale land?" The former Evil Queen inquired, noticing that at least her old sarcasm hadn't vanished from her persona.

For the very first time since the curse had been broken, Prince Charming found himself unable to speak. He was perplexed. _Hell_, he had no idea how to contact Fairytale land, even less how to get there.

Regina nodded in acknowledgement of the man's inner confliction. The same was going through her mind, which was nothing. She had absolutely no clues whatsoever that told her how to teleport there. Not even the spell book she had acquired from her mother, which was originally Rumplestiltskin's, gave her those answers she sought.

All of a sudden, whatever was clouding the brunette's rational judgment vanished. As if she was having an epiphany, Regina knew she had found a common link between this world without magic and Fairytale Land.

The former Mayor knew what she had to do next, and having a companion was surely not in her plans. She stood up abruptly, almost knocking James down to the floor.

The man noticed something had changed in Regina's eyes. They sparkled, almost resembling that twisted ambition he had seen in her dark days. Nevertheless, they were not the same as before. The former Queen seemed to impress him more every day that passed by.

Curiosity took the best of him. James knew something had crossed Regina's mind while they were both thinking so he was dying to know what she had come up with.

"What are you going to do Regina? Be careful." He eyed the woman carefully, so as not to disturb her line of thought.

"I'm going to have a little chat with my dearest friend Rumplestiltskin. I'm sure he'll be of help." The brunette uttered, right before a mischievous grin trailed her features.

"Please take care of Henry for me. It would be lovely if I could have dinner with him tonight, I want to at least be able to say goodbye. Needless to say that you have been invited as well."

Prince James nodded slightly and smiled gently towards his grandson's adoptive mother.

"It would be my pleasure." The prince simply answered.

"Please make yourself at home. I have business to attend to." The former Queen announced graciously, lunging swiftly towards her mansion's grand hall.

Regina grabbed one of her navy blue trench coats and put it on. She reached for the door knob and pulled the main door open. Just as she was about to leave, she turned slightly backwards and spoke towards Prince Charming.

"Don't forget, dinner is served at 7 P.M, sharp. I will see you then." She uttered, spinning on her heels and leaving the mansion. The door made a huge bang as Regina slammed it shut.

Stepping into the sidewalk, the brunette couldn't help but smirk. A showdown was about to happen and Regina Mills was aware she was going to be a part of it. As she strode confidently towards her destination, high heels clicking on the concrete floor, the former Mayor almost shivered in anticipation. This was going to be a banner day indeed.

* * *

Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop came into view as the former Mayor reached the end of Storybrooke's main street. It was incorporated in a rustic old building, as everything in that town for that matter. The woman stopped right in front of its door and looked towards the sign that indicated that the store was already open.

During her short trip, the brunette's mind had run through every possible scenario that she was likely to find behind the ebony wooden door. Regina definitely hadn't paid any attention towards the insults directed at her by townspeople as she passed by. She was used to being the object of hate or fear of other people. Therefore, she wasn't affected by those insults; she was already resigned to her merciless fate.

It was time to face the inevitable. The brunette reached for the door handle and swiftly opened the door. As she found herself inside the shop, she looked around, trying to find the mirror she desired. However, it was nowhere to be found.

As usual, Rumplestiltskin came out from the back of the shop with his usual sneaky behavior, limping and trying to support the weight of his bad leg with his dark cane. He couldn't help but letting out a mischievous smile as soon as he saw Regina's helpless face.

"Regina, dear! A little bird told me that a Wraith was sent to hunt you, I am so relieved to find you still breathing…" He said, his voice conveying as much disdain as he could muster.

One could say that any doubts about the origin of the Wraith attack subsided from Regina's mind at that very moment. She already suspected the authorship of the attack to be Rumplestiltskin's, and this gave her all the confirmation she needed.

"Rumple, it is always a pleasure to visit your humble shop! Especially when your mighty plans have just went down the drain." The former Mayor uttered, heading towards the counter where the man was now supporting himself.

"You should already know that those pathetic little schemes will never work on me. I'm afraid to say I'm fairly disappointed, I expected much worse from you. It seems you have lost your touch, my dear friend." The brunette continued in a mockingly manner, right before snorting slightly.

Not liking one bit where the conversation was headed, Mr. Gold decided not to pursue the issue any further, changing the subject and getting down to business.

"Now, tell me, dearie. What can I do for you? Certainly you didn't come all the way over here just for a courtesy call, did you?" He demanded, wondering what Regina could have up her sleeve.

"I certainly have not come here for a courtesy call, Rumple. You see, I currently seek a very particular object and I believe you can help me with this quest." The woman stated as if selling her soul to the devil was the most natural thing in the world.

"I am certain I will be of help here, your majesty. And what is this object you so desire?" Mr. Gold asked, feeling somewhat puzzled.

"What I seek is an object you know rather well. If I recall it correctly, you used it first when I was about 19 years of age. Or better yet, I sent my mother to Wonderland through it." The former Queen clarified, recollecting that memory while pressing her hands slightly against the counter.

"Ah, yes, yes, yes… I do remember that mirror. It served you quite well in the past, my dear." The man said while nodding, as if he was confirming his own words.

Regina's demeanor didn't change despite the questioning look shot towards her by Rumplestilskin. The man only seemed to get more interested by the second. And so she made sure that the man wouldn't see past her smirk, it couldn't falter, not now at least.

"I need that mirror now, and I know you have it in your possession. So, I suggest we stop this little charade and get this over with." The woman hissed, leaning over the counter, her eyes making direct contact with the man's.

"My, my… A little impatient are we, dearie? Why do you need it? Surely you don't intend to teleport back to Fairytale land, do you?" The man demanded, his eyes shining with curiosity.

"As a matter of fact, I do. You see, I have quite a deal of unfinished business back there. With power comes great responsibility, as I'm sure you know. Or… Perhaps you don't, seeing that your power could never be compared to mine." Regina said in a mockingly manner, laughing in the man's face.

Mr. Gold fleered. He was used to Regina's despisal and loathing. He simply looked at her as if he was unaffected.

"You know that this is a deal. You have to give me something in return." The man stated matter-of-factly.

"Indeed. And what, pray tell, could you possibly want from me this time?" She wondered aloud.

"I want Belle to be safe. You will not try anything against her in order to get to me. Am I making myself clear?" The imp stated, eyeing Regina in a threatening way, while a mischievous grin formed on his lips.

The brunette snorted once more before giving the man a short nod.

"Rest assured, dear Rumple. Your beloved Belle will remain untouched. I have no reasons whatsoever to harm her; after all, she is just a sweet and innocent little girl." The woman uttered, with the mocking tone finding its wait back into her speech.

Rumple sighed inwardly. This was better than nothing. He would find a way to deal with this hindrance called Regina Mills. But for now, he would just agree and see how this would eventually turn out.

"We have a deal then. Must I remind you that nobody breaks them unless they want to suffer an unbearable death?" The man said, smirking.

The brunette had absolutely no interest in remaining inside Mr. Gold's shop any longer so she turned to where she had came from and started walking towards the door.

As she opened the same ebony wooden door to go outside, she heard the man utter something.

"The mirror is on its way to your house as we speak. Have a good day, _your majesty_."

Regina Mills didn't think twice as she shut the door and stepped into the sidewalk. She looked at the watch on her wrist. Their chat had taken more time than what she initially had anticipated. She started walking in a relatively rapid pace. It was time to go home.

* * *

The whole afternoon had been used to prepare dinner. It wasn't everyday that Regina hosted a farewell dinner for her son, Henry, and his grandfather, Prince Charming. Everything had to be perfect, as Henry needed to realize how much his adoptive mother loved him. She loved him to an endless extent. She wasn't capable of describing what she felt about her son with words, so these little perfect moments were all she needed to be happy. These moments in which Henry didn't see her as the Evil Queen but rather as a dedicated mother, a nurturing and loving mother, were not impossible. They were, on the other hand, very rare. And at that time, the former Mayor knew she had to get rid of that scarceness. That night was going to be one of those precious moments.

After she had arrived to her mansion, Regina barely had any time to look at the mirror that she had hidden in her study. She only managed to place it there right before having to leave it untouched in order to prepare this grand banquet.

* * *

The meat loaf was in the oven. Another hour and it would be ready. It was time to set the table. Three sets of square white plates, crystal glasses and exquisite silverware were placed scrupulously on the quite imposing white pine wooden table positioned right in the middle of the dinning room. Bright white candles were lit to raise the mood.

The former Mayor looked at the wall clock and found that she still had time to change her outfit. As she ascended the stairs towards the second floor, she noticed once again that her house felt empty without her son. Over the last 10 years, she had gotten used to Henry's presence. And now that he was gone, the nostalgia of those well spent years reminded her of how it was not having someone to love.

As soon as she arrived at the hallway that lead to her room, she took off her shoes and walked bare footed. Silently wandering around the mansion, the former Mayor arrived at the desired destination: her room. The power suit she was wearing earlier was meticulously placed back in the wardrobe. A knee-length burgundy dress was carefully chosen as the attire for that night, along with a pair of similar colored high heeled shoes.

Right when she was zipping up her dress, the doorbell rung once more. The royal guests had arrived. Regina headed towards the hall of her mayoral mansion as quickly as she could, considering that her shoes weren't made to undergo running activities.

She checked her appearance reflected in an oval silver mirror which was hanging on the wall directly above the coffee table. As she seemed to look dashing, as always, Regina clasped the door handle and opened the door, leaving it ajar.

Her son, Henry, was grinning from ear to ear.

"Hey, mom!" The boy greeted, in a cheerfully manner.

Regina found herself smiling towards the little human being she had raised as lovingly as she could.

Then, a strange event occurred; the boy approached his mother and gave her a small hug. The former Mayor felt particularly touched, as for the first time in years, her son had shown some signs of affection towards her.

Tears prickling behind her dark lashes, the brunette tried to remain composed despite the realization which had started to settle in her mind. Her son was aware of the dangers she was going to face; he knew that she might never come back. In that precise moment, Regina Mills knew her son did undeniably love her. He had still a place for her inside his tiny heart.

Seeing that she was smothering Henry, the woman let go of her son. Afterwards she nodded slightly towards Prince Charming as if acknowledging his presence.

"James… Please, do come in." She greeted the man, gesturing to the door.

The man obeyed and entered the former Mayor's mansion. He couldn't help but be stunned by its magnificence, no matter how many times he visited the house, he couldn't quite get used to the sumptuousness displayed. It was always something uncontrollable.

After closing the door quite unhurriedly, the host directed her guests to the dining room. A perfectly set table waited for them in the middle of the chamber. A few white candles lingered around the surface of the table. Both guests smiled in approval of the welcoming and pleasant environment.

"Make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back with my delicious home-made meat loaf." The woman announced, making some mouths water in anticipation.

The brunette left the room to fetch her so praised meal. She returned shortly with a tray filled with the most scrumptious Meat Loaf ever cooked in Storybrooke, Maine. She placed it carefully on the table and watched as her guests helped themselves. Munching sounds were heard, as Regina watched them attentively. Afterwards exalting sounds and applauses followed.

_ Well, what do you say about that? The way to a man's heart is indeed through his stomach. _The former Mayor thought briefly, right before deciding to nibble her own slice of Meat Loaf.

* * *

The dinner had turned out to be a pleasant meal with no incidents whatsoever. The tomato gravy was, by all means, a masterpiece and Regina found herself enjoying that delightful evening. _What a nice turn of events._

Apple turnovers were served as the dessert. The brunette had made those with the apples she had left, the ones she had picked up a day before the curse had been broken and had stored them so they wouldn't wither. A clever move, she realized then. If she hadn't stored them, these apple turnovers wouldn't ever have been half as good.

Those were eaten in an awkward silence, as if everyone could read Regina's thoughts. Although the night had been very pleasant for both sides - host and guests-, and as much as the former Mayor would hate to admit it, the evening had to end right along with her transitory happiness.

Regina could obviously see that her son was exhausted. The boy was already half asleep as he had been eating the apple turnovers. The poor little fellow must have been severely affected by Emma and Snow's disappearance. The only thing that the brunette regretted was seeing her son not feeling the same towards herself.

The brunette followed the cue that her son had provided her. She was unwilling to say goodbye to her little boy so, now that Henry was fast asleep, Regina found herself having the perfect moment to go to Fairytale Land. She hated the idea of saying goodbye to those who she loved.

As the former Mayor regarded Henry lovingly, she got up from her seat at the table and walked towards her son's. Despite his developing physique, Regina took her boy into her arms and walked up carefully to the sofa belonging to her living room. Henry was placed there, still sleeping, while Prince James followed the action.

"James, I think it is time I prepare my departure. If possible, I would like to leave Storybrooke even tonight." The woman announced.

The Prince nodded. "Ok. Do you need any help?"

"Humm…" The former Mayor's eyebrows furrowed for a split second as she thought. "I believe it would be of help if you carried the mirror from my study towards the garage. I need some space to perform the teleportation spell." She finally answered the man.

As she noticed James's puzzled expression, Regina realized that the prince had no idea where the doors to the study or the garage were located inside her luxurious mansion.

"The study is on the 2nd door on the right. The garage is in the opposite end of the corridor. Just keep walking and you'll know when you get there." She clarified as she pointed towards the respective doors.

Charming nodded once more and went to fetch the mirror. Meanwhile, the brunette went upstairs to her room. The spell book she wanted was lying on top of the nightstand just as she had left it a few nights ago. She picked it up and headed downstairs again in a jiffy. On her way to the garage, she also picked up a red marker from her study.

Awaiting her arrival, Prince Charming stood there with the grand mirror between his arms and a puzzled expression crossing his features.

"Just put it down wherever you want, I'll be right back." The woman stated, right before leaving the room with the same speed as when she entered it.

She searched for candles everywhere; it had been a long time since she had last used them so finding them was a difficult task. Candles were needed to perform this spell properly, absolute concentration was crucial and so, the little distractions she had the better.

The former Queen was obviously aware that she was rusty, over the last 28 years she hadn't practiced any magic whatsoever. However, she had to make this work if she wanted to prove she wasn't that evil bitch everyone thought her to be. Ergo, no disturbances were allowed.

The preparation resumed shortly after her return to the garage. James watched mesmerized as Regina stroked in the floor various shapes with the red marker, finishing with a circle on the outside. There were four major groups of symbols, each one representing the mighty elements of Nature; Fire, Water, Wind and Earth. In the center could be found a wide star.

Afterwards, the former Mayor requested the mirror to be placed exactly on top of the star. Prince Charming did as he was told and took it towards its appointed destination. In the meantime, the brunette lit up the candles and positioned them across the circle, in every edge she could find. The lights were shut off, leaving only the candles to illuminate the room.

Everything was set to go. It was time to enact the spell. Yet, in order to do so, Regina needed to be alone; James couldn't be allowed to be snooping around, not now anyway.

"I beg your pardon, James, but I must ask you to leave now. I need to fully concentrate on this spell. Don't get me wrong but I want to make sure I will succeed." The woman announced suddenly with a hard tone, clearly determined to prevail at all costs.

The Prince didn't complain, he just raised his arms in a surrender motion. "Alright, I have stuff to do anyway." The man uttered rather conflicted, as he was rather eager to know what would take place in Regina's garage after he had left.

She seemed to glow under the dim light the candles provided. It was the first time James realized there was more to her. She was a gorgeous woman hidden behind a mask she had built herself.

"Very well, I will accompany you to the door; you may as well take Henry home with you." The brunette stated somewhat sadly, knowing that it could very well be the last time she got to see her son and not really noticing the look the man was giving her.

She headed towards the living room where her son could be found sleeping peacefully on the couch. Prince Charming followed the woman. He watched as the brunette brushed her hand slightly across her son's face and cradled it. A tiny kiss was placed on his forehead affectionately.

_One day, you'll see my true self. One day, you'll love me once again. _Regina thought, eyes closed, trying not to cry.

She stepped away from Henry, allowing James to carry her son into his red pickup. Just as Regina was readying herself to go back inside, the man came back running towards the doorstep.

"Regina… Wait." The man uttered out of breath.

The woman turned back and held the door firmly within her reach. The man approached her, leaving only a meter between them.

"I… I need to thank you. I know that it isn't easy for you to abandon your son to rescue my family." He continued.

"Indeed. But this is the only chance I have got to prove my worth. I am determined to do whatever it takes, even bringing my arch-enemies back to this realm." Regina answered resolute of her own words.

At that moment, something that the woman wasn't expecting took place. In just a few strides, James came vertiginous close to her face leaving their lips only an inch apart. The man's blue eyes searched behind her endless brownish ones.

Out of the blue, his lips crashed against Regina's. Curiosity was satisfied at last, after all those years, he finally knew how Regina's lips tasted like.

* * *

This couldn't be happening. Ever since she had drawed those symbols on the floor and noticed James was staring at her, Regina knew something wrong was going to happen. This was only the confirmation of those suspicions. This couldn't possibly be right. She couldn't allow this situation to continue.

And now, the man had approached her like there was no tomorrow, like it was the end of the world. He had kissed her with all his willpower, not realizing that Regina wasn't kissing him back. She had remained motionless, without physical response to what she considered to be a nuisance.

Both her arms flew up to his chest and pushed the prince back. The look on his face was revealed to be one of complete shock and confusion.

"James, don't… I cannot just sit and stare while you take all your pity on me. I am no ugly duckling that needs to be pitied." The brunette stated in response to the speechless expression she saw on the man's face.

Seeing that no answer was received from the person standing in front of her, Regina decided to continue speaking.

"I know this may be strange to hear, especially from me, but don't give up on Snow just yet. I still haven't forgiven Snow for what she did, and I know that she resents me just as much as I resent her, but my ways have changed and I believe you are each other's happy ending. I am indeed ready to atone for my sins; however, it does not mean that I have to be the object of someone else's sympathy. I do not have to endure that. Am I making myself clear?" The woman asked with the same adamant voice used in her mayoral days.

"Yes. I… Don't know what took over me. Rest assured. This won't happen again." The prince stated, smiling slightly and earning a small smoothening on the former Mayor's features.

After a full minute of solely uncomfortable silence, Regina announced her need to hasten; she wanted to depart as soon as possible. Farewell words were exchanged; fake reassurances lingered in the air. The last thing both of them heard was an "I'm sure we'll meet again" uttered by the former Mayor just a few seconds before she closed the door shut behind her.

* * *

Another half an hour went by as the woman dressed more properly suited clothing and gathered all her essential belongings. Regina now faced the grand object, which was supposed to take her back home, with her spell book in hand. This prized book was open in what could be defined as a bundle of some quite memorable markings, scribbles and symbols.

Ancient words were articulated with recognizable grace, none of them lost to the lack of practice of its utterer. At last, the spell was carried out. The shapes on the floor came to life, each with a distinct color which demonstrated the element they represented. The candles shone brighter, filling the garage with warm light.

The woman was somewhat pleased. The spell had turned out rather well despite those 28 years of inexistent contact with magic. She approached the mirror and found herself able to see Fairytale Land's landscape through it. She missed her old home, the beauty of the countryside and most of all, the peace she felt before she had turned 19. Wanting to seek it once more, the brunette decided it was time to leave Storybrooke behind. She searched for courage deep inside herself and went through the mirror.

In a matter of seconds, she was on the other side of the mirror, back into her original world, Fairytale Land. However, as much as blissful as she could be for having returned home, something happened that she wasn't expecting at all.

Fuzziness flooded her head as she began to breathe slowly and heavily. It was becoming harder and harder to inhale successfully. Her stomach seemed to be in on tumultuous and violent battle against its owner. It didn't take much longer for Regina to collapse, not knowing what the hell was going on or what was to become of her. Hands clutching threads of straw from the floor was the last thing she did right before finally losing consciousness. She only hoped to wake up again.

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**A/N: **I hope you have enjoyed yourselves while reading this chapter. Please continue to review, it means so much to me :)


	3. Welcome To Millstown

**Summary:** We take off where the previous chapter ended. A few questions will be answered such as: What happened to Regina? Did she manage to survive? What about Emma and Snow? What's become of them?

**Author's Note:** Thank you, dearest readers, for your continuous support. This fic is becoming more and more fun to write, so expect quite a few more chapters :) How are you enjoying the story so far? Wouldn't it be awesome if you could just answer the question in the reviews tab? It doesn't cost you a thing, so help out a fellow author. Well, I won't keep you any longer, just enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 3: Welcome To Millstown **

Just as quickly as she had passed out, she had regained her consciousness once more, except for one thing: her body didn't follow the cure. She felt like a ghost, hovering above her own inert body which was somehow lost between unconsciousness and death. Not knowing what to do at the time, Regina Mills found herself dealing with yet another unexpected situation. There is always a first time for everything, she thought briefly, right before sensing another presence behind her.

A woman, appearing to be in her mid-thirties, with fairly tanned skin, jade green eyes and with no less than a hundred long dark and waist-long braids stood there, observing Regina. The stranger was dressed in a knee-length olive green tunic, where a distinct floral pattern had been etched. She was barefoot, the former Mayor noticed, after an inaudible step was taken towards her by this mysterious woman. She had a warm smile already formed on her lips even though Regina was eyeing her suspiciously.

" Regina Mills… What a pleasure to be able to finally meet you. I've heard and seen a lot regarding your ruling time." The strange woman said, calmly and unhurriedly, with her smile still firmly in place.

This was certainly not going accord to plan, what the hell was going on? Who was this strange woman who knew who she had been in the past and her misdeeds. A million questions clouded Regina's mind and since she got no answers just by thinking alone, the brunette knew she had to at least voice some of them.

"Which kind of witchcraft is this? Who are you? Speak this instance!" She ordered, finding that bluntness was the best way to hide the shock she was feeling for the first time she had arrived to that realm.

"Just calm down, Regina. I mean no harm, rest assured of that. I am Juno, goddess of Nature and all its dominions. But, to you and the other mere mortals, I am best known as Mother Nature." Juno uttered, still not letting her smile fade completely from her lips.

"What? Why should I believe you? This can't really be happening! What have you done to me?" The brunette asked, clearly on the verge of snapping. At the moment she just wished to run away, flee from this nightmare. Incredulous and not really buying the bull the other woman was trying to throw at her, Regina decided to clear her head and ignore whatever was happening. She had to figure out what was happening so she turned on her heels and made a move to leave Juno talking to herself.

"It's your choice whether you believe me or not, but you cannot ignore something you cannot control. You _will_ stay here and listen to what I have to say until the very end. Any attempt to leave will be pointless." This time Juno wasn't smiling as she talked, her facial expression had changed dramatically from friendly to dead serious in what seemed like a millisecond.

Regina found that then she had no control over herself, so she went back to her initial position as the goddess had demanded. Her magical powers were nonexistent compared to those of that mythical being therefore she internally made the decision of seeing where this all was going to lead to. After all, she didn't have a better choice.

"I have come here because, as much as I hate to admit it, I need your help." Juno declared, matter-of-factly, and seemingly resigned to her fortune.

"What? Am I hearing correctly? You, a grand and mighty goddess, want help from a mere mortal such as myself?" The brunette asked, disdain clearly dripping from her deep voice.

"You may not be aware of it just yet, but a great peril threatens this realm. This world is crumbling, and soon, there won't be anything left. You see, twenty eight years ago, when you still ruled this land, everything was, shall we say, reasonable and us, gods, tolerated your brutality and austerity. Then you cast the curse and everything changed. Someone took over the throne, a person even more wicked and cruel than you. A great deal of harm has been already done as that someone has taken advantage of endless people just to achieve his goals, however insignificant and meaningless they are. And most importantly, that person does absolutely anything just for power, at whichever cost. Atrocities such as massive murder, imprisonment and execution of innocent people, destruction of entire villages, fertile lands, and even much needed food are only a small number of crimes committed by this ruler. And it is only getting worse with time." The goddess explained, frowning more and more as the story progressed.

"As I've said before, very soon, there won't be anything left. You must help us. You must defeat this evil. They must not stand!" She exclaimed, desperate to make the former Mayor understand the magnitude of the situation.

"Why me?" Regina asked, trying to figure this all out but failing miserably.

"You are the right person for this because you are the one who knows this ruler the best. And you are the only one that has the power to defeat her." Juno merely stated, as if it was the most logical thing in the world.

"Her? So she is who I was thinking. My mother has risen once again to torture everyone around her. Not surprisingly, I must add." The former Queen uttered, somehow expecting her mother to turn up eventually in the picture.

Great. Now she had to deal with her bitchy mother, like if she hadn't got anything else to do at the time, or worrying her for that matter.

"So… Will you help us?" The goddess asked nervously, ending the awkward silence that had slowly started to cling into the conversation.

"I must decline. I'm sure you understand that I've other things to attend to far more interesting than deal with my own bloody mother." Regina answered frankly.

"Yes… Emma Swan and Snow White. Interesting indeed…" Juno mumbled more to the other woman than to herself and nodded almost imperceptively. Then she continued. "You'll see that those two will soon become your most trusted allies. And I should rather let you see things for yourself but since you brought it up… I think I am in the liberty to tell you."

"Tell me what?" The former Mayor asked, thinking that no good was going to come out of that mouth.

"Someone, although I have my suspicions, has put a curse on you. You were stripped of your magical powers since you entered Fairytale Land through that mirror. That's all I know, but whoever cursed you certainly wanted you to stick around permanently and never go back to where you came from."

"What? I have no magic? How am I even supposed to throw my mother away from the throne?" Regina asked rhetorically, yet earning a response.

"I'm confident you'll find the answer to that. Meanwhile, I must haste. You see, time is of the essence when you're a goddess. We will meet again, Regina Mills." Juno waved her right hand seconds before vanishing into thin air.

The encounter had begun and ended in the same way. Regina found herself lying once more on the same ground where she had passed out. Except, this time, her body had agreed to cooperate with her. She tried to stand up with success. She realized where she stood for the first time: The Stables. The place brought back old memories, especially angst ones. She would leave this despicable place be for now. It was time to visit her childhood Estate after more than 28 years of abandonment.

As she finally left the stables and observed the surrounding world, she couldn't help thinking of how much this place had changed and wondering what else would the future have in store for her.

* * *

Fairytale Land sure had its charms. The thing was, Emma Swan wasn't finding it so charming after what had seemed like a whole month – but was actually a two-week period - lost in the depths of the Enchanted Forest. Shortly after their arrival to what seemed to be the ruins of an ancient and majestic castle, Emma had relied solely on her mother's navigation abilities as she legitimately claimed to know more about that land better than Emma did. Surely, at the time, it had sounded like the best rational plan to get them out of there, but two weeks afterwards, Emma was somewhat reluctant to give in and trust those so praised skills.

However, that wasn't what distressed her the most. The blonde missed dealing with the people she was used to, right back at home, her "real" realm. It could and most certainly would sound strange to admit it, but Emma Swan missed certain encounters with certain individuals, especially those who were responsible for making her life undoubtedly more interesting. What surprised her at that time, though, was the fact that she actually missed those enraged confrontations with Madame Mayor, which had such an effect on the blonde that were unexpectedly able to make her blood boil endlessly, or her snarky remarks, for that matter. That strange feeling suddenly recalled to mind that she had pushed Regina away from the Wraith which was sent to specifically hunt her down, and how the other woman was able to perform magic after she had subtly touched her on the arm.

Emma Swan did her best to discard those inappropriate and ridiculous thoughts out of her head. It wasn't the right time to be dealing with meaningless issues that somehow insisted In involving Regina Mills in the picture. As she shoved those thoughts away, she came to a sight that overjoyed her for the first time in weeks. Yet, she didn't have much time to properly see it before two arms came around her and shook her firmly.

"Emma!?" Snow White uttered while eyeing her daughter carefully. "Have you listened to what I've just said?"

"Yeah, sure I have." The blonde answered somewhat awkwardly, not knowing what to say, which didn't convince much the other woman, earning a glare as a result. "Alright, you caught me. Come again?" She asked, raising her hands and trying to divert the attentions away from herself.

"You're insufferable, Emma, do you know that?" Snow paused to add more effect to her words. Then after a few seconds, she continued. "I was just saying I think there's a village up ahead."

"Yeah, I kind of noticed." The blonde answered dryly, opting to ignore the criticism. "There are some weak lights over there. I think they come from torches; we should definitely check them out."

And so they headed out towards the lights, feeling hopeful for the first time in weeks. Eventually they had come across an old stone trail, leading both women to a sinister and dim village. As they came nearer to the first few rows of wooden shacks, a stone sign informed them of their whereabouts. Its engravings, almost unreadable, had aged with time. Yet, it was still possible to be read: "Welcome to Millstown."

* * *

As much as they were pleased to have finally found signs of civilization, it didn't bring them any closer to returning to Storybrooke. All that sudden hope vanished eventually as they started to explore the village further.

Like all small villages, there was a main street, if you could even describe it as a street, and wooden shacks. These were all scattered around the main street, connecting the whole village. There were no barracks or soldiers to be found. At least, they didn't run the risk of being arrested just because they were outsiders.

The villagers weren't much talkative either, they noticed, as in the same second they had spotted Snow and Emma they had hid themselves inside their shacks.

"Puff… Well, what do ya know 'bout that? There are also scumbags in this world." Emma stated matter-of-factly while her mother desperately tried to find someone decent enough amongst the townsfolk to help them.

"Emma… Don't be rude." She scolded her daughter. "It looks like everyone is scared. What are they scared of? Us?"

"Probably. But the thing is, they don't know who we are. So the question should rather be: Who do they assume us to be? They are clearly afraid of someone, and perhaps they think we are those people."

"Could be. As of right now, I'm not sure of anything at all." Snow White nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, me neither." The blonde uttered while looking around her. After a while, she finally spotted something worth a visit . She called her mother and pointed at the dark building, where a sign with the shape of a horse was on the outside.

"A pub? You wanna go drinking _now_ ?" The brunette asked, confused.

"A pub which is, conveniently, also a place where we can sleep properly in a freaking bed. Can't you read "The Black Stallion's Pub N' Inn" in the sign?"

"Why, Miss Hotshot, how are you planning to pay the bills?" The pixie-haired woman asked in a know-it-all tone.

"Well, perhaps with the money I _borrowed_ from those lowlife thieves we encountered last week." The blonde said with a mischievous grin on her lips.

For the first time in two weeks, Emma saw Mary Margaret, rather than Snow White, laugh out loud. She was beginning to fear her best friend was gone but this was just a reminder that she was still there. She hadn't faded. She laughed along with the other woman until the latter started to walk towards the pub.

"You don't have to tell me twice, Emma." The brunette uttered as she took the first step with Emma beside her.

* * *

The Black Stallion's Pub N' Inn was, like the rest of the town, a shady place. Bad lighting and at least 10 rounded walnut tables and chairs stood west of their position. There was also a counter and stools in the left end of the pub. A flight of stairs next to the back door showed both women that that was the entrance to the lodgings of the inn. Truth be told, the almost inexistent and old-fashioned décor gave the pub an air of an ancient saloon, if one of those had actually existed in that realm.

There was a rather large and ginger haired lady behind the counter who greeted them noisily upon their arrival.

"Howdy! My name's Samantha Jo, but everyone calls me Sammy Jo around here. I'll be serving you tonight. What can I get for ya?" Sammy Jo said vibrantly, with a mild southern accent and not certainly showing the same fear as everyone else had shown.

Mother and daughter thanked the thoughtfulness and sat at one of the nearby tables as they answered the question.

"I'll have a glass of Jack, how about you?" Emma said, happy to have finally found a place where drinks were served.

"Yeah, I'll have the same as she." Snow White uttered after a while thinking on her own choice.

"Gotcha. I'll be right back with your booze, ladies." The pub keeper answered, right before disappearing behind the bar.

As they waited, both women noticed the sideways glances that the other costumers were giving them. However, they looked away if one of the females looked directly at them. Cowards.

"I'm not liking this one bit, Emma." The petite brunette admitted while fidgeting her fingers.

"Yeah. I can't say I do either, but listen, it's kinda natural, don't you think? After all, they don't even know us." The other woman said, trying to keep logical but still aware of her surroundings.

Soon enough the pub keeper came with those drinks.

"Here you go, ladies." She said as she placed the glasses on the table. "I don't think I've ever seen you girls around, what business brought ya'll here?" Sammy Jo asked, curious about these women.

Mary Margaret blushed slightly, not knowing what to answer. On the contrary, Emma knew what had to be said.

"We're travelers. You see, we were told that the land here is magnificent for collecting medicine ingredients and we decided to check it out for ourselves." The blonde said smiling.

Her mother quickly decided to help in and cooperate on the story. "Yeah, we do make a habit of visiting and studying different regions and its resources, herbs, plants, ingredients for medical ointments, you name it."

The busty woman seemed to have bought the story. "Oh, good for you. Perhaps in the future I'll have some use for your skills and knowledge. Oh, and since you're not a local, I assume you don't have a place to stay?"

Both women nodded affirmatively. "We don't. We were hoping to stay here tonight at your Inn." The brunette answered first.

"That's wonderful! I have two newly vacant rooms which would suit you like a glove. That is, if you can pay five gold pieces a night. Each." Sammy Jo said, a tad greedily.

Mary Margaret opened and closed her mouth several times, surprised. As for Emma, she just smiled.

"That's a reasonable price. We'll take it." She uttered, leaving the inn keeper to retrieve the keys.

"What? Are you serious? Do we even own that much gold?" Her mother asked, thinking that that amount of money was preposterous.

"Yes, we do. And excuse me for wanting a real bed just for one night. My back's killing me just in case you haven't noticed." The blonde answered sarcastically.

Just in time, Sammy Jo brought in the keys. "Alrighty, everything is set. You can go up if you want. Rooms number two and three. Up the stairs and to the left. Now, if you'll excuse me I have other costumers to attend to. I wish you both a good stay." She said as she handed the keys to Emma. After having collected the money from the drinks and the rooms, Sammy Jo returned back to the bar that was now crawling with drunken costumers.

"I'll take room number three. Three is my lucky number." The blonde said, handing over the key number two to the other woman. "I'm gonna go up now, my feet are also hurting now." She almost whined as she got up from the table.

"Oh, I'll go with you. These guys are weird." The brunette said, earning a suppressed laugh from Emma. "What?" She asked, not seeing why that was so funny. Emma didn't answer her and just kept walking at a fast pace, leaving the brunette needing to hasten the pace to catch up.

As they made way to their rooms, Emma Swan could already smell the scent of clean sheets, well, she hoped them to be all clean and shiny but in this hellhole, who could be sure of anything? Both women said their good nights and went inside their rooms. Emma only had time to lie down, as the second after she had, she was already reaching dreamland.

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**A/N: **A great thanks to my beta-reader, Nate, without whom it wouldn't be possible to upload these chapters! Stay tuned for the next chapter and, as always, don't forget to review! :)


	4. The Piano Player

**Summary: **We'll sneak a little bit into Regina's past. Emma makes a choice that will leave a very displeased Snow White behind. Will heads roll for our favourite blonde?**  
**

**Author's Note: **Thank you, my dearest readers, for your great support. These last few months have been immensely rewarding. You guys are absolutely the best readers I could have asked for. With your continuous encouragement, this fic will go on for a long time! I urge everyone to review this story so I can improve myself further. Did I mention that I'm going to answer your reviews from now on? I didn't? Well, you can count on it. They'll be posted in the chapter that follows your reviews, so pay attention! ;) - Apples & Fables

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Piano Player**

Everything was undoubtedly in the same place since she had left twenty-eight years ago. Surprisingly, nothing had changed since then. She didn't know what to expect when she had arrived to the Enchanted Forest but somehow Regina Mills always believed her symbols of power and rulership to be destroyed. Now that she thought it through, her mother couldn't just destroy this place, it had also been a place for happiness for her. It was there that King Leopold had proposed to her, making her mother happier than herself. It was thanks to her extremely unhappy marriage that Regina's evil mother, Cora, got uncountable privileges, perhaps her only desire in life. Her marriage to Henry had been a façade, Regina knew even before she had reached sixteen years of age. He was always powerless, unable to defend his own daughter against the hands of such a horrible mother, always fulfilling her miserable, pitiful and futile whims.

But still, the former Evil Queen still missed this mansion, the stables and more than those, the stable boy with whom she had fallen in love once upon a time. It all had a new meaning now, as there was no more father to raise her nor lover to love. What was left were the remnants of a once happy and almost fulfilled life which she never got to enjoy entirely. It all had been ripped away from her too soon, leaving her in a living nightmare, a forced marriage, all her chances of an happy existence shattered amongst the heart of her loved one.

It had become a habit, thinking about _him_, especially after the curse had been broken. And after the incident with Victor Frankenstein, it had only gotten worse. The time had come to face her hidden demons and ghouls from the past and bury them for good. With that resolution in mind, Regina did as she had done as a child and walked towards her room.

Crimson and golden tapestries adorned the chamber. Ebony wooden furniture, carved by hand, and an also ebony king sized bed clearly demonstrated the wealth of this family. A grand glass door separated the room from a small balcony where Daniel's grave could be seen even from that great length. The gravesite had been chosen for this purpose, although the former Mayor was beginning to doubt her decision.

She turned away and headed towards the ebony armoire on the far end of the room. As she opened it, she decided that her current attire wouldn't blend in, so she chewed her bottom lip while searching inside for proper clothing.

Dresses and corsets were out of the question after twenty-eight years of business suits. She wasn't sure if she could even breathe into one of those anymore. The other choice was more appealing: her several riding attires. That had to suffice for the moment. Regina quickly picked up a white silk blouse, dark grey riding pants, a navy-blue jacket and knee-high black boots. An old ritual came to life once more. Pants were dressed first, followed by the boots, the blouse and finally the jacket.

As she stopped to look herself in the mirror, a strange vision haunted her. The brunette saw herself reflected in the mirror, but it wasn't her. It was rather the other _her_, her dark half, the famous Evil Queen. Her hair was long as it once had been, as well as her eyes were stone cold as in the past. She gestured and the mirror repeated the movement. Only then did she remember to actually check if her hair had grown. It had. She had no magic and now this? Her mother had no way of knowing she was there so she couldn't have cast this spell. That meant there was only another person who could have done this: Rumplestiltskin.

In the same millisecond his name came to her mind, her reflection in the mirror was replaced by his own.

"Regina, dear, all is well, I hope." He said through his reflection, as if on cue.

"Wretched bastard! You knew well enough how things are. What's the meaning of this?" She talked to the mirror, anger starting to pool down in the pit of her stomach.

"This is my revenge for keeping Belle hidden all this time. Since the wraith didn't work out, I gave it another go." He said right before an hysterical laugh. He continued afterwards. "But if you don't like the word 'revenge', you can always take this as the price for lending you mirror".

"You'll regret this. I'll destroy you with my bare hands if I have to. And I'm sure it'll come to that." The woman threatened.

Once again, the sounds of an hysterical an crazy laugh echoed through the room.

"With no magic at all, you're hardly a threat to me, dearie. Speaking of magic, have you found the two damsels in distress? Or even a more interesting question: How are you planning to come back here?" Rumple asked, amused by how his plans were coming along as he had planned.

"It's none of you damned business. But remember: I'll come after you and you're not getting away that easily. You might have been my mentor, but students always surpass their masters. You, above all, should know it." Regina uttered as a smirk formed on her lips. She would never back down from a challenge, especially when her honor was at stake.

"We shall see. But, in the meantime have fun in the Enchanted Forest. Oh! And give my regards to your mother for me. That is, if she doesn't kill you first!" He announced, half laughing, as his reflection vanished.

Regina could see herself once more, still in the skin of her former self, so everyone could recognize her wherever she went. She was so irritated that she was sure the prominent vein on her forehead was about to explode. It didn't, but her mood didn't get any better either. She pursed her lips, thinking about the threat she had left hanging in the air, right before running some water into her bathroom's basin and splashing it on her bare face. Her worried expression, this time shown on the adjacent mirror was the last thing she saw as she closed the water taps and left the room to do some more exploring.

* * *

This had been the first night in many dark and long ones in which sleep finally came to her. It took over almost in the same moment as Emma Swan came upon a suitable, very firm and clean bed to reset her strength after all those hard and tiresome days. However, like whenever she tried to sleep in the other realm, her sleeping rhythm wasn't constant and regular at all, so she ended up having to wake up several times during the night.

During one of those miserable insomnias, the blonde decided to take a short and revitalizing walk. As she descended the stairs, she spotted a familiar face. Samantha Jo stood, as always, behind the counter where she welcomed travelers in need of accommodation. If one could say, she possessed a friendly and affectionate voice which certainly helped to increase her daily income. A little chat wouldn't hurt now, would it?

Emma scooped over towards a vacant stool so she could talk to the always cheerful bartender. As she sat down, the other woman noticed her arrival and nodded acknowledgingly.

"Howdy, friend. Having trouble getting any sleep?" She asked, Displaying once more her friendly smile.

"Yeah, tell me about it. How can you even stand being here twenty-four/seven hours a day?" The blonde asked after a slight puff. At the same time Emma found herself actually intrigued by her own question.

"That's a very good question, my dear." The chubby bartender answered right before a laugh with echoed throughout the room. She continued afterwards. "It's simple enough. I don't stay awake twenty-four/seven hours a day. My husband Simon and our lovely waitress Dona are perfectly able to hold the fort when I'm not around."

A round of mead was ordered and Samantha Jo seemed to come to life, picking up the pitchers and mugs, pouring the so desired beverage into them and serving them all round the pub. She did it so quickly and wonderfully that, for Emma, it had looked like a dance, where the dancer moved around effortlessly, barely stopping to take a breath, continuing its course thereafter.

When the momentary dancer came back, she apologized for this sudden interruption. Emma nonchalantly told her it was fine and smiled in return. It didn't take much time before the curious bartender started to shoot questions at Emma again.

"So, are you enjoying your stay so far?"

"Hum hum…" The blonde vocalized and she nodded affirmatively. "It's a nice and quaint village. Everyone's a bit introverted, though." She confessed, not knowing how well the other woman would react to such honest words.

"You probably don't know this, but the village has a long and dark past. It's only natural people don't want to talk about it. It's as if they feel ashamed." Samantha Jo stated matter-of-factly.

"You don't seem ashamed at all. You're not like the others. Why is that?" The blonde reckoned.

"Yes, yes, it's true." She nodded with a small smile reaching her lips. "You see, I wasn't born here. I come from a land far, far away, a Kingdom from the North. Perhaps If I had known, I wouldn't have come here, of all places." Samantha Jo uttered, the slightest hint of regret dawning on her features.

"How come?" The blonde inquired, curiosity taking the best of her.

"This is a place of great Evil, it was born here." She clarified, yet not totally answering the blonde's question.

Emma stood still, not even bothering to answer as she wanted more information.

"You see, the last two queens were born here. Both former Queen Regina and Her Highness Queen Cora are from this place." She uttered, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sure you've already heard of their wicked ways. Her Highness Queen Cora is ruling now and it seems she's even worse than her daughter, Queen Regina." Samantha Jo stopped talking and jerked her head around as if she was afraid they were being watched. "But we shouldn't talk so openly about this. I don't want to lose any more costumers." She said, still whispering and with a dread looking face, which surprised and scared Emma at the same time.

The world tumbled on Emma's feet as she realized that Regina was born there, in Millstown. The Evil Queen and former Madame Mayor of Storybrooke spent her childhood there, so she had just to discover all the secrets behind the tough mask she usually wore. Yet, as she observed Samantha Jo and her reaction, she realized she had to tread carefully. She didn't want to get into any trouble, especially when she was a stranger to everyone. So she made a promise to herself, she would get to the bottom of this, even if it was the last thing she did.

As she regained her full senses after the shock she found out she was being watched very carefully by the chubby bartender. She reasoned that the bartender must have been waiting for the blonde to answer.

"Humm… You wouldn't actually know where they used to live, would you?" Emma finally asked.

"As a matter-of-fact, I do. It's up on the hill, the large mansion on the top. The only mansion up there, really." She answered, now somewhat suspicious about the reason behind the blonde's question.

"Oh, I've seen it from afar!" Emma exclaimed, recognizing the palace-like house. "It's really huge isn't it?"

"Indeed it is. I wish I could that mansion 'home'. And, I think that nobody's been living there since the Evil Queen cast the curse." Samantha Jo uttered with her brows knitted, as if trying to confirm what she had just said.

_Perfect._ All that Emma had to do now was to convince Snow into going with her. She wondered if the sleeping brunette would mind or if she had know where they were all along. She slightly nodded her head sideways. That didn't matter. Either if Snow liked it or not, Emma was going and there would be nobody who would even dare to stop her.

She already had what she had come for. So, faking a yawn, Emma Swan got up and announced to the barkeep she was returning to bed. As they bid their goodbyes, the blonde somehow already knew she was going to sleep better that night.

* * *

The following morning, Snow White noticed her daughter was acting quite strangely. It seemed like the other woman was always in a rush, a glass of milk and an apple being her only breakfast. _Now, that doesn't sound good at all. _As for her own breakfast, hot cocoa with cinnamon sparkles and some toasts would do.

Less than five minutes later, her daughter was already urging her to finish her meal. She was starting to be fed up with it, really.

"Emma, what the hell do you want to do now?" she asked her blonde haired daughter, quite desperate to stop her nagging.

Hopping up and down in anticipation of the following events, the blonde whispered something as if hiding some huge secret.

"Shhh… Do you know where we are?" She asked while looking across the room checking that nobody was eavesdropping. "Regina was born here!" Emma exclaimed in a whisper enthusiastically after seeing that the coast was clear.

_Holy crap._ She hadn't found the right moment or guts to tell Emma that she had known where they were since she had read "Millstown" on the sign in the entrance of the village. She had kept it a secret hoping that her daughter wouldn't find out any links between the Mayor/Evil Queen and this village. She had known all along that Emma's reaction to this news would be getting to the bottom of this in a wild attempt to find something with which she could frame the Mayor.

But now, she had to come clean. She couldn't bear to keep this lie much longer. The brunette took a deep breath, trying to find the best way to answer her daughter's question.

"Yeah… In the biggest mansion up the hill, I know." She finally admitted, letting out the breath she was holding.

"What? You knew where we were all this time?" Emma asked, incredulous.

"Yes, Emma, I did. But I didn't mean to -" She tried to defend herself while being cut off by her daughter.

"You didn't mean to what? Lie to me?" She almost shouted, right before taking a deep breath in a desperate attempt to calm herself down. However, it turned out to be a failure as just a few seconds later she was crying out once more, her voice reaching a higher depth and crowding the surrounding area. "Well I'm sorry for breaking the news here, but you did in fact lie!"

"I didn't lie! I simply omitted. And why do you care so much about where we are?" The petite brunette fired back, feeling wounded with her daughter's accusations.

"I care about it because it's the first time in weeks in which I can relate to anything in this world! You don't get it, do you? This is all new for me. You may feel good around here, but I don't, I never did. And it's the first time since we've arrived that I'm actually excited about something. You see, I know Regina and this is some part of her that I'm not familiarized with." The blonde explained the reasons behind all her earlier outcry, leaving the brunette there, speechless and widening her eyes more and more as her daughter continued to speak. "Oh, and I'll be damned if you're the one who's going to stop me from figuring her out!"

"So what are you planning to do? Investigate Regina's childhood home? That's completely insane, Emma!" Snow deflected once more, a hint of uncharacteristic disdain shadowing her voice.

"Yeah, that's right. 'Cause right now, I have no idea how to get back to both Storybrooke and my son. And perhaps I can find anything that will help there. Now choose: Are you with me or not?"

Snow nodded sideways, not prepared to let her pride go. "I won't go there, Regina almost killed me, she's wicked and I don't have anything to do with her." She finally declared.

"For one who considers herself a good person, you're not acting accordingly. Maybe you should let go of your hatred, swallow your pride. You may want to stick around in the Enchanted Forest, but I don't. This is not my home, and if you can't understand that then I'm not the insane one here." The blonde said more collected now. Not bothering to hear her mother's reply, Emma turned on her heels and went back to her room, leaving Snow White fuming and speechless behind her.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later and all packed up, Emma Swan descended the same stairs she had climbed after the enflamed argument. She was nowhere to be seen which surprisingly relieved the blonde. She was definitely in no mood for a second round today. She bid her goodbyes to the friendly bartender, not caring to explain the reason why she was departing. The chubby woman must have understood that something had happened and didn't ask any further questions. With a "Come by whenever you can." and a "Don't forget to keep us posted." uttered by Samantha Jo, the blonde crossed the bar and reached for the door. One last glance at the bartender and she was out the door.

There it was. As soon as she saw daylight, her eyes were set on the mansion up in the peak of the nearest hill. That was her next destination. She smiled as she took the first step, knowing there was no turning back now.

* * *

Her head was spinning with the intensity of the last few hours. So much had happened since she had arrived that she was almost convinced this all had been just a dream. But not even in her most wild dreams could she have imagined something like this. As she went through numerous halls, corridors and chambers, she relived in her mind a few past events, some of them happy while others were not exhilarating at all.

At last, the room she was searching for, the one she adored the most. The "hall of entertainment" as her father used to call it. There was everything that was possibly imaginable to keep everyone entertained: piano, chess, poker, books and other activities.

She remembered, as if it had been today, when her father played the piano just for her. It used to make her feel like she was the most special person in the world to him. He always played a lullaby, a song she would remember until she'd die. Back in Storybrooke she used to play it to Henry every night until he'd fallen asleep. That was back when he was a baby, but that custom was lost when his affections towards her vanished.

As she sat down facing the keyboard, she let herself feel the homesickness, oh how she missed her son! Her fingers started to find its way towards the correspondent melodies. A tear dropped onto the keyboard and for once, Regina Mills didn't erase the evidences of her lonely and miserable existence.

* * *

She was almost there, only a few feet kept Emma from reaching the top of the hill. She just needed a final boost. Legs started to walk faster, drawn by some sort of exhilaration. They kept moving faster and faster and she knew she couldn't stop now. She raced across the hill, climbing it somewhat frantically as if there would be no tomorrow.

Finally, she reached the front door. _Wow. _Regina's ancestors had definitely been wealthy. _Just a little sneak peek,_ She convinced herself, pulling the door-knob open and finding the door unlocked, offering no resistance at all.

_Holy crap! This is so awesome!_ She thought, wide-eyed and head jerking from side to side so she could see every little detail in that mansion. After the initial shock, one of her other senses noticed something unusual. _Music. _

Allegedly, nobody lived there which meant someone was trespassing. As Storybrooke's Sheriff, her gut was always on duty. She had to check this out, _after all, there could be someone trying to steal or destroy anything_. Or so she convinced herself. Not that she was curious to know who was playing the piano. _Nope, not curious at all._ She followed the sound of the piano, which marveled her. Somehow, she recognized the tune. Her pace increased, she wanted to unravel this mystery already.

As she came to the source of the lovely music Emma smiled as much as her lips could allow her. She didn't move an inch, just standing there and observing the most beautiful scene she had ever had the pleasure to witness. A woman with the most dazzling brunette waist-long hair played the piano on the far end of the room. It was positioned right in front of a large window, making it possible for the woman to be looking into the distance at the same time she was playing. The song naturally came to an end, reminding Emma it was time to make her entrance.

"Hello there." She made herself known towards the female player, opting not to be hostile.

The other figure trembled slightly. Emma now regretted having made the choice of scaring the woman. After what it seemed like a few seconds, the piano player turned around to face the blonde, revealing her teary stained face, make-up ruined and smudged.

"And this was something Emma Swan was not expecting. Her mouth cracked open as she recognized the face behind the piano player persona. This moment had been gentle and soothing, not vengeful and rotten as she would have imagined it if someone had told her that this person was by the piano playing.

The musician got up and straightened herself up. A relieved expression dawned on her features as she meant to take a step towards the blonde but refrained herself at the last minute.

"Why, Miss Swan, it's so nice of you to join in my little concert." She uttered as a greeting, yet her cold mask falling into its place once more.

Nope, Emma Swan had not been expecting this earth-shattering vision: Regina _freaking_ Mills playing the piano in her childhood home. What had the world come to?

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**A/N: **Once again, my beta reader recieves a mention. Thanks for being so awesome, Nate! :) How much did you enjoy this chapter? Let me know, pretty please? What are your thoughts? Predictions? Share with us all in the review section! *.***  
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